Cost of living in Seattle

Composed in-house · four inputs · 14% of the overall score

C+

66/100
25th of 59

Prose in preparation This tab is waiting for its written explanation of cost of living in Seattle. The numbers are below; until the words are written and checked, the page is hidden from search engines.

The four inputs

Housing cost index110

Seattle 10045% · scores 69

Effective property tax rate0.72%

Seattle 0.77%25% · scores 84

Utilities89

Seattle 10020% · scores 71

Local sales tax10.55%

Seattle median 10.30%10% · scores 0

Vertical rule marks the Seattle reference. Composed in-house · ACS 2020–24. Every scale is on the methodology page.

Best Seattle suburbs for cost of living

All 59 ranked, Seattle highlighted

1EverettB+$565,300 2SeaTacB$519,700 3LakewoodB$461,200 4LynnwoodB$686,900 5Lake StickneyB$620,300 6Federal WayB$552,800 7PuyallupB$551,800 8Mountlake TerraceB$667,300 9ArlingtonB$538,800 10ParklandB$423,000 11CovingtonB−$637,300 12EdmondsB−$890,100 13SpanawayB−$445,700 14AuburnB−$547,900 15Des MoinesB−$597,000 16University PlaceB−$624,800 17TacomaB−$479,600 18Mill CreekB−$903,800 19RentonB−$672,600 20White CenterB−$645,200 21MonroeB−$668,400 22KenmoreB−$920,800 23North LynnwoodB−$616,400 24KentC+$587,800 25MukilteoC+$884,900 26SeattleC+$938,600 27Bryn Mawr-SkywayC+$655,200 28BurienC+$638,800 29GrahamC+$516,700 30MarysvilleC+$567,900 31Mercer IslandC+$2,000,000+32Elk PlainC+$473,500 33Lakeland NorthC+$557,000 34Silver FirsC+$859,900 35Bothell WestC+$824,900 36South HillC+$543,600 37RedmondC+$1,167,800 38Bonney LakeC+$607,900 39ArtondaleC+$734,400 40FairwoodC+$733,200 41FredericksonC$477,400 42Maple ValleyC$724,700 43TukwilaC$489,000 44Lake StevensC$635,600 45WoodinvilleC$1,100,100 46BothellC$925,100 47IssaquahC$963,000 48Bothell EastC$1,131,600 49KirklandC$1,115,400 50EastmontC$784,000 51ShorelineC$811,100 52Martha LakeC$785,400 53Mill Creek EastC−$905,400 54BellevueC−$1,340,300 55SnoqualmieC−$977,200 56Lake Forest ParkC−$953,200 57Union Hill-Novelty HillD+$1,218,500 58Cottage LakeD+$1,230,700 59SammamishD$1,407,300

← Back to Seattle overview How the index is built →

Better than Seattle on cost of living

Seattle grades C+ on cost of living. Six suburbs are within 25 miles and score higher on the same four inputs.

SuburbCost of livingMedian home valueEff. tax rateOverall

SeaTac12 mi from SeattleB$520k0.89% 50 D+ Lynnwood15 mi from SeattleB$687k0.70% 59 C Lake Stickney18 mi from SeattleB$620k0.70% 58 C Federal Way21 mi from SeattleB$553k0.82% 53 C− Mountlake Terrace12 mi from SeattleB$667k0.67% 64 C+ Edmonds13 mi from SeattleB−$890k0.65% 67 C+

Cost-of-living index composed in-house from housing cost, utilities, effective property tax and local sales tax · Median home value: ACS 2020–24 · Effective property tax: ACS 2020–24

Six Seattle lists

Best Seattle suburbs for families Most affordable Seattle suburbs Best Seattle suburbs for schools Shortest commutes to Downtown Seattle Most walkable Seattle suburbs Best Seattle suburbs for young professionals

Compare Seattle

Seattle vs Mercer Island Every Seattle suburb, side by side

How this works

How we score Seattle suburbs — every weight and source Twelve guides to moving to Seattle